1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a safety device for use by motorists to signal for assistance or distress while remaining safely within their automobiles, and particularly to a vehicle distress signal readily secured on the door or window of a vehicle and having light reflective or light producing means to catch the attention of approaching motorists.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofor, distress warning and signalling devices for use in vehicles have been either very complex to use or have been attached to the vehicle by means which are easily dislodged during storms or wet weather.
Travel on interstate highways requires that automobiles travel at a relatively high rate of speed. It is often necessary that the driver of a vehicle on such a highway be alert for unexpected occurrences on the roadway ahead. One type of unexpected occurrence is the disabled vehicle along the side of the highway, or in some cases, in the middle of the high speed lane of the roadway. It is not always possible for the driver of an oncoming vehicle to discern whether the vehicle on the shoulder is moving or standing still, until he realizes that he is approaching the vehicle at a relatively fast closing rate. Thus, he is forced to maneuver at the last minute, since he could not determine the state of the vehicle in time for a judicious lane change. Also, at high rates of speed, it is difficult for the passing motorist to tell whether the driver of the stopped vehicle is merely resting or in need of help. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a distress warning device which unmistakably indicates to oncoming traffic that a distress condition exists, so that such oncoming traffic can have sufficient time to take corrective action and obtain help when necessary.
There have been various devices used to warn upcoming traffic of a stopped vehicle, among these are flares and flags which are posted on the roadway. Not only do flares have a limited duration of burn, but both flags and flares require that the motorist leave his vehicle and place the warning device on a dark higway.
Some devices have been developed which are positioned on the horizontal surface of a vehicle (i.e., the roof, trunk or hood) in the line of eight of oncoming traffic. Among these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,700,655 to Kirby; 4,158,925 to Gagnon; 3,936,967 to Davis; and 3,933,117 to Maietta. All of the these patents disclose devices which fasten to a vehicle hood, roof or side by means of a suction cap base. It is well know that the accumulated dirt and grease (such as is commonly accummualted during driving on a highway) impedes the holding power of suction cup devices. Also, during rain, snow or wind storms, the suction cup may not hold to the vehicle.
Other patents have disclosed devices which attach to a car by means of a bent rod which slips over the top edge of a vehicle window. U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,426 to O'Neill discloses a highway safety device which is mounted on the window of a vehicle and has a flag extending upward from the base. At the tip of the flag pole is a flasher light which operates from the cigarette lighter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,138 to Dobala discloses a flag with a pocket to hold a flag pole which slides over the vehicle window.
Heretofor, there has been no vehicle distress signal that includes features for taking advantage of the lights of oncoming vehicle and which incorporates lighting features of sufficient intensity to catch the attention of a passing motorist in full time for him to make a defensive move and to determine the degree of distress of the hehicle and occupants.